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Abstract

This work evidences the suitability of applying a single twisted nematic liquid-crystal (TN-LC) device to obtain dynamic polarimeters with high accuracy and repeatability. Different Stokes polarimeter setups based on a TN-LC device are optimized, leading to the minimization of the noise propagated from intensity measurements to the Stokes vector calculations. To this aim, we revise the influence of working out of normal incidence and of performing a double pass of the light beam through the LC device. In addition, because transmissive TN-LC devices act as elliptical retarders, an extra study is performed. It analyzes the influence of projecting the light exiting from the TN-LC device over elliptical states of polarization. Finally, diverse optimized polarimeters are experimentally implemented and validated by measuring different states of partially and fully polarized light. The analysis is conducted both for monochromatic (He–Ne laser) and LED light sources, proving the potential of polarimeters based on a single TN-LC device.

References

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a In the first two rows are the optimum LP orientation and QWP angle. In the last two rows are QI (CN and EWV) values corresponding to the optimized polarimeters.

Table 2

Stokes Parameters of Three Different SOPs (the Stokes Vectors Are Normalized) Measured by Each Implemented Polarimeter (A, B, C, D, E, and F), when Monochromatic Light Is Employeda

Linear SOP

Elliptical SOP

Circular SOP

S1

S2

S3

S1

S2

S3

S1

S2

S3

Expected values

0.5

0.866

0

0

0.866

0.5

0

0

1

A

0.487±0.001

0.883±0.004

0.009±0.002

−0.016±0.001

0.883±0.001

0.194±0.001

−0.016±0.005

0.010±0.003

0.984±0.003

Thorlabs

0.5041±0.0003

0.8635±0.0002

0.0159±0.0004

−0.0063±0.0057

0.8625±0.0012

0.5059±0.0020

0.0247±0.0162

−0.0407±0.0171

0.9986±0.0010

B

0.492±0.002

0.877±0.002

0.019±0.004

−0.027±0.002

0.873±0.001

0.510±0.003

−0.009±0.001

−0.005±0.001

1.005±0.002

Thorlabs

0.4972±0.0005

0.8672±0.0003

0.0265±0.0004

0.0003±0.0007

0.8667±0.0003

0.4988±0.0005

0.0367±0.0023

−0.0515±0.0016

0.9980±0.0001

C

0.503±0.001

0.868±0.001

−0.005±0.001

−0.004±0.002

0.879±0.002

0.515±0.001

0.025±0.002

0.006±0.001

0.999±0.001

Thorlabs

0.5035±0.0007

0.8637±0.0004

−0.0228±0.0007

−0.0214±0.0011

0.8645±0.0003

0.5021±0.0005

0.0479±0.0011

−0.0752±0.0012

0.9960±0.0001

D

0.493±0.001

0.872±0.001

−0.006±0.001

−0.027±0.001

0.874±0.001

0.510±0.001

−0.001±0.001

0.000±0.001

1.004±0.002

Thorlabs

0.5195±0.0003

0.8541±0.0002

−0.0244±0.0004

−0.0345±0.0011

0.8711±0.0022

0.4899±0.0062

0.0166±0.0009

−0.0574±0.0007

0.9982±0.0001

E

0.501±0.001

0.869±0.002

0.000±0.002

−0.032±0.001

0.873±0.001

0.525±0.001

−0.003±0.001

0.000±0.003

1.006±0.003

Thorlabs

0.5081±0.0003

0.8611±0.0002

0.0155±0.0004

−0.0301±0.0005

0.8668±0.0003

0.4978±0.0005

0.0588±0.0012

−0.0441±0.0012

0.9973±0.0001

F

0.481±0.001

0.850±0.001

−0.004±0.001

−0.027±0.002

0.866±0.001

0.508±0.001

−0.004±0.002

−0.005±0.001

1.007±0.001

Thorlabs

0.4937±0.0011

0.8693±0.0006

−0.0235±0.0008

−0.0309±0.0006

0.8681±0.0002

0.4954±0.0004

0.0269±0.0009

−0.0474±0.0003

0.99851±0.00003

a SOPs are also measured with the commercial polarimeter (Thorlabs).

Table 3

Normalized Stokes Parameters (Fully Polarized Contribution) and DOP Measurements of Two Different SOPs Partially Polarized by Means of Polarimeter D and the Commercial Polarimeter (Thorlabs), when Monochromatic Light Is Used

S1

S2

S3

DOP

SOP 1

Polarimeter D

0.669±0.002

0.085±0.004

0.739±0.003

0.742±0.001

Thorlabs

0.6534±0.0008

0.0812±0.0008

0.7526±0.0006

0.724±0.047

SOP 2

Polarimeter D

−0.249±0.002

−0.038±0.002

0.968±0.002

0.632±0.001

Thorlabs

−0.2923±0.0012

−0.0053±0.0007

0.9563±0.0004

0.649±0.042

Table 4

Stokes Parameters of Three Different States of Polarization (the Stokes Vectors are Normalized) Measured by Polarimeter D and the Commercial Polarimeter (Thorlabs), when They are Illuminated with an LED Light Source

Linear SOP

Elliptical SOP

Circular SOP

S1

S2

S3

S1

S2

S3

S1

S2

S3

Expected values

0.5

0.866

0

0

0.866

0.5

0

0

1

D

0.494±0.001

0.878±0.001

−0.001±0.001

0.025±0.001

0.839±0.001

−0.4145±0.0004

0.017±0.001

−0.009±0.001

1.002±0.001

Thorlabs

0.4977±0.0003

0.8673±0.0002

−0.0073±0.0001

0.0459±0.0003

0.89404±0.00003

−0.4456±0.0001

−0.0188±0.0001

−0.0344±0.0001

0.99923±0.00001

Table 5

Normalized Stokes Parameters (Fully Polarized Contribution) and DOP Measurements of Two Different SOPs Partially Polarized by Means of Polarimeter D and the Commercial Polarimeter (Thorlabs), when an LED Light Source Is Employed

a In the first two rows are the optimum LP orientation and QWP angle. In the last two rows are QI (CN and EWV) values corresponding to the optimized polarimeters.

Table 2

Stokes Parameters of Three Different SOPs (the Stokes Vectors Are Normalized) Measured by Each Implemented Polarimeter (A, B, C, D, E, and F), when Monochromatic Light Is Employeda

Linear SOP

Elliptical SOP

Circular SOP

S1

S2

S3

S1

S2

S3

S1

S2

S3

Expected values

0.5

0.866

0

0

0.866

0.5

0

0

1

A

0.487±0.001

0.883±0.004

0.009±0.002

−0.016±0.001

0.883±0.001

0.194±0.001

−0.016±0.005

0.010±0.003

0.984±0.003

Thorlabs

0.5041±0.0003

0.8635±0.0002

0.0159±0.0004

−0.0063±0.0057

0.8625±0.0012

0.5059±0.0020

0.0247±0.0162

−0.0407±0.0171

0.9986±0.0010

B

0.492±0.002

0.877±0.002

0.019±0.004

−0.027±0.002

0.873±0.001

0.510±0.003

−0.009±0.001

−0.005±0.001

1.005±0.002

Thorlabs

0.4972±0.0005

0.8672±0.0003

0.0265±0.0004

0.0003±0.0007

0.8667±0.0003

0.4988±0.0005

0.0367±0.0023

−0.0515±0.0016

0.9980±0.0001

C

0.503±0.001

0.868±0.001

−0.005±0.001

−0.004±0.002

0.879±0.002

0.515±0.001

0.025±0.002

0.006±0.001

0.999±0.001

Thorlabs

0.5035±0.0007

0.8637±0.0004

−0.0228±0.0007

−0.0214±0.0011

0.8645±0.0003

0.5021±0.0005

0.0479±0.0011

−0.0752±0.0012

0.9960±0.0001

D

0.493±0.001

0.872±0.001

−0.006±0.001

−0.027±0.001

0.874±0.001

0.510±0.001

−0.001±0.001

0.000±0.001

1.004±0.002

Thorlabs

0.5195±0.0003

0.8541±0.0002

−0.0244±0.0004

−0.0345±0.0011

0.8711±0.0022

0.4899±0.0062

0.0166±0.0009

−0.0574±0.0007

0.9982±0.0001

E

0.501±0.001

0.869±0.002

0.000±0.002

−0.032±0.001

0.873±0.001

0.525±0.001

−0.003±0.001

0.000±0.003

1.006±0.003

Thorlabs

0.5081±0.0003

0.8611±0.0002

0.0155±0.0004

−0.0301±0.0005

0.8668±0.0003

0.4978±0.0005

0.0588±0.0012

−0.0441±0.0012

0.9973±0.0001

F

0.481±0.001

0.850±0.001

−0.004±0.001

−0.027±0.002

0.866±0.001

0.508±0.001

−0.004±0.002

−0.005±0.001

1.007±0.001

Thorlabs

0.4937±0.0011

0.8693±0.0006

−0.0235±0.0008

−0.0309±0.0006

0.8681±0.0002

0.4954±0.0004

0.0269±0.0009

−0.0474±0.0003

0.99851±0.00003

a SOPs are also measured with the commercial polarimeter (Thorlabs).

Table 3

Normalized Stokes Parameters (Fully Polarized Contribution) and DOP Measurements of Two Different SOPs Partially Polarized by Means of Polarimeter D and the Commercial Polarimeter (Thorlabs), when Monochromatic Light Is Used

S1

S2

S3

DOP

SOP 1

Polarimeter D

0.669±0.002

0.085±0.004

0.739±0.003

0.742±0.001

Thorlabs

0.6534±0.0008

0.0812±0.0008

0.7526±0.0006

0.724±0.047

SOP 2

Polarimeter D

−0.249±0.002

−0.038±0.002

0.968±0.002

0.632±0.001

Thorlabs

−0.2923±0.0012

−0.0053±0.0007

0.9563±0.0004

0.649±0.042

Table 4

Stokes Parameters of Three Different States of Polarization (the Stokes Vectors are Normalized) Measured by Polarimeter D and the Commercial Polarimeter (Thorlabs), when They are Illuminated with an LED Light Source

Linear SOP

Elliptical SOP

Circular SOP

S1

S2

S3

S1

S2

S3

S1

S2

S3

Expected values

0.5

0.866

0

0

0.866

0.5

0

0

1

D

0.494±0.001

0.878±0.001

−0.001±0.001

0.025±0.001

0.839±0.001

−0.4145±0.0004

0.017±0.001

−0.009±0.001

1.002±0.001

Thorlabs

0.4977±0.0003

0.8673±0.0002

−0.0073±0.0001

0.0459±0.0003

0.89404±0.00003

−0.4456±0.0001

−0.0188±0.0001

−0.0344±0.0001

0.99923±0.00001

Table 5

Normalized Stokes Parameters (Fully Polarized Contribution) and DOP Measurements of Two Different SOPs Partially Polarized by Means of Polarimeter D and the Commercial Polarimeter (Thorlabs), when an LED Light Source Is Employed